Union County Crime Stoppers successful, growing

Published: Monday, April 1, 2013 at 8:06 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, April 1, 2013 at 8:06 p.m.

Dequan Jones, 17, died in the early morning hours of Aug. 12 after a double shooting on Lukesville Road.

Facts

Want to help?

Donations to Union County Crime Stoppers can be mailed to UC Crime Stoppers, 135 W. Main St., Union, S.C. 29379. According to its website, a fundraiser will be held for Spartanburg Crime Stoppers. The Crime Stopper Benefit Ride is set for April 27. Registration will be held from 8 to 10 a.m. at City Hall. Visit spartanburgcs.com for more information.

A day after the rising Union County High School senior was shot twice at a block party, tips began coming into Union County Crime Stoppers. Another 20-year-old man was wounded at the party and hospitalized.

Union Sheriff David Taylor said information received through Crime Stoppers pointed law enforcement in the “right direction” and led to the arrests of suspects.

In 2012, 80 fugitives were captured, 106 arrests made, $4,900 in property recovered and 54 rewards totaling $4,100 were awarded through Union County Crime Stoppers, according to statistics from the program. About 300 tips were received last year, versus 71 tips received in 2010.

Taylor and Chief Deputy Perry Haney credit several factors for the program's growth.

Taylor pointed to the county's unemployment rate.

According to the state Department of Employment and Workforce, unemployment in Union County fell to 13.9 percent in February, a nearly half-point decline from 14.3 percent during the previous month. About 70 people were added to the county's labor force. Despite the improvement, Union's 13.9 percent jobless rate remains well above the state's 8.6 percent.

Tipsters can receive rewards of $50 to $1,000 for information leading to arrests.

Taylor said a woman sitting outside the magistrate's office saw a flier and recognized three people. She told him he would know two of the suspects' whereabouts by sundown and the third by the end of the week. Taylor said she was unemployed and was able to collect $150 from information she provided.

Taylor said information remains totally anonymous.

Master Deputy Perry Haney said tipsters are assigned a code number. Monthly meetings are held to determine who receives rewards and reward amounts based on criteria, such as risk to the informants, number of crimes solved, how much property is recovered and how many people are arrested.

Haney said tipsters take their assigned code numbers to a bank to anonymously receive reward money.

The Union County Crime Stoppers number is a local number, but calls are routed to the state Law Enforcement Division where information is collected and reports sent to Taylor and Haney.

Law enforcement has gotten more involved with the program in the county. Officers attend meetings, follow up on tips and more manpower has been poured into the program.

Taylor said Lt. David Kitchens posts information to the agency's website, which features suspects' mug shots and maintains a Facebook page where Crime Stoppers information is posted. Taylor said the Facebook page averages 20,000 to 30,000 visits per week.

Taylor said people like visiting the sites to see who's wanted. Some may consider it a pastime. Officers also closely monitor social media.

“People put the craziest stuff on Facebook. You'd be surprised how many cases we've been able to make just of what people have posted on Facebook,” Taylor said.

Crime Stoppers has expanded to include parents accused of not paying child support. Rewards also are offered to locate “deadbeat” parents.

Union County Crime Stoppers has expanded its reach beyond the web.

A weekly flier featuring mug shots of suspects is distributed. Kitchens, Taylor said, came up with a catchy phrase on one flier: “Who needs the lottery when Crime Stoppers has a winner every time?”

Crime Stoppers also has space in local papers and broadcasts information about unsolved crimes on the radio.

There also is a Crime Stoppers board at the county fair.

“It's more popular than the Ferris wheel,” Haney said.

Taylor said people approach them at the fair to see how to get their name removed from the board. It may be for something as simple as a misdemeanor charge or paying back child support.

Haney said the program receives financial support from individuals, businesses and government agencies such as the city of Union, town of Carlisle and in-kind services from the county.

Taylor said they are planning to hold a golf tournament in the next few months to raise funds for the program.

“We need money to keep those reward checks rolling,” Haney said.

Chris Cowan with the S.C. Crime Stoppers Council wrote in an email that “Crime Stoppers survives off donations” and that 97 percent of donations is used to pay tipsters. The program, a nonprofit established in 1982 in S.C., covers 42 counties in the state.

“The primary function of Crime Stoppers is to provide an outlet through which anonymous callers can provide information about unsolved crimes. Callers average 700 calls per month to the statewide tip line. Those who telephone the 24-hour hotline are immediately given a code number. If their tip results in an arrest, the caller is eligible for a reward up to $1,000, in some areas of the state the programs pay out more,” Cowan wrote.

Union County received more tips and made more arrests in 2012, compared to 2011, although there were fewer rewards paid out and less stolen property recovered.

Spartanburg Crime Stoppers also saw increased activity last year. In 2011, there were 496 tips received, 8 arrests made, 13 cases cleared, five fugitives arrested and $6,995 in property was recovered. Last year the program received 672 tips, made 26 arrests, cleared 18 cases and apprehended two fugitives and recovered $17,329 worth of property.

<p>Dequan Jones, 17, died in the early morning hours of Aug. 12 after a double shooting on Lukesville Road.</p><p>A day after the rising Union County High School senior was shot twice at a block party, tips began coming into Union County Crime Stoppers. Another 20-year-old man was wounded at the party and hospitalized.</p><p>Union Sheriff David Taylor said information received through Crime Stoppers pointed law enforcement in the “right direction” and led to the arrests of suspects.</p><p>In 2012, 80 fugitives were captured, 106 arrests made, $4,900 in property recovered and 54 rewards totaling $4,100 were awarded through Union County Crime Stoppers, according to statistics from the program. About 300 tips were received last year, versus 71 tips received in 2010.</p><p>Taylor and Chief Deputy Perry Haney credit several factors for the program's growth.</p><p>Taylor pointed to the county's unemployment rate.</p><p>According to the state Department of Employment and Workforce, unemployment in Union County fell to 13.9 percent in February, a nearly half-point decline from 14.3 percent during the previous month. About 70 people were added to the county's labor force. Despite the improvement, Union's 13.9 percent jobless rate remains well above the state's 8.6 percent.</p><p>Tipsters can receive rewards of $50 to $1,000 for information leading to arrests.</p><p>Taylor said a woman sitting outside the magistrate's office saw a flier and recognized three people. She told him he would know two of the suspects' whereabouts by sundown and the third by the end of the week. Taylor said she was unemployed and was able to collect $150 from information she provided.</p><p>Taylor said information remains totally anonymous.</p><p>Master Deputy Perry Haney said tipsters are assigned a code number. Monthly meetings are held to determine who receives rewards and reward amounts based on criteria, such as risk to the informants, number of crimes solved, how much property is recovered and how many people are arrested.</p><p>Haney said tipsters take their assigned code numbers to a bank to anonymously receive reward money.</p><p>The Union County Crime Stoppers number is a local number, but calls are routed to the state Law Enforcement Division where information is collected and reports sent to Taylor and Haney.</p><p>Law enforcement has gotten more involved with the program in the county. Officers attend meetings, follow up on tips and more manpower has been poured into the program.</p><p>Taylor said Lt. David Kitchens posts information to the agency's website, which features suspects' mug shots and maintains a Facebook page where Crime Stoppers information is posted. Taylor said the Facebook page averages 20,000 to 30,000 visits per week.</p><p>Taylor said people like visiting the sites to see who's wanted. Some may consider it a pastime. Officers also closely monitor social media.</p><p>“People put the craziest stuff on Facebook. You'd be surprised how many cases we've been able to make just of what people have posted on Facebook,” Taylor said.</p><p>Crime Stoppers has expanded to include parents accused of not paying child support. Rewards also are offered to locate “deadbeat” parents.</p><p>Union County Crime Stoppers has expanded its reach beyond the web.</p><p>A weekly flier featuring mug shots of suspects is distributed. Kitchens, Taylor said, came up with a catchy phrase on one flier: “Who needs the lottery when Crime Stoppers has a winner every time?”</p><p>Crime Stoppers also has space in local papers and broadcasts information about unsolved crimes on the radio.</p><p>There also is a Crime Stoppers board at the county fair.</p><p>“It's more popular than the Ferris wheel,” Haney said.</p><p>Taylor said people approach them at the fair to see how to get their name removed from the board. It may be for something as simple as a misdemeanor charge or paying back child support.</p><p>Haney said the program receives financial support from individuals, businesses and government agencies such as the city of Union, town of Carlisle and in-kind services from the county.</p><p>Taylor said they are planning to hold a golf tournament in the next few months to raise funds for the program.</p><p>“We need money to keep those reward checks rolling,” Haney said.</p><p>Chris Cowan with the S.C. Crime Stoppers Council wrote in an email that “Crime Stoppers survives off donations” and that 97 percent of donations is used to pay tipsters. The program, a nonprofit established in 1982 in S.C., covers 42 counties in the state.</p><p>“The primary function of Crime Stoppers is to provide an outlet through which anonymous callers can provide information about unsolved crimes. Callers average 700 calls per month to the statewide tip line. Those who telephone the 24-hour hotline are immediately given a code number. If their tip results in an arrest, the caller is eligible for a reward up to $1,000, in some areas of the state the programs pay out more,” Cowan wrote.</p><p>Union County received more tips and made more arrests in 2012, compared to 2011, although there were fewer rewards paid out and less stolen property recovered.</p><p>Spartanburg Crime Stoppers also saw increased activity last year. In 2011, there were 496 tips received, 8 arrests made, 13 cases cleared, five fugitives arrested and $6,995 in property was recovered. Last year the program received 672 tips, made 26 arrests, cleared 18 cases and apprehended two fugitives and recovered $17,329 worth of property.</p>